What is perhaps most amazing is that three of the top five biggest movies of 2021 all came from China. “Hi, Mom” was the previous king of the box office taking in a staggering $822 million, with “Detective Chinatown 3” coming in at number four with a huge $686 million. It’s a pretty steep drop-off from there, with “No Time to Die” currently rounding out the top five with $608 million, though it may well surpass “Detective Chinatown 3” before its run is over.

On “The Battle at Lake Changjin” front, a sequel is already in development. Titled “Water Gate Bridge,” it will bring back much of the cast and key players, with the story of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army set to continue. Presumably, this will also be a huge hit and it’s likely producers won’t sit on their hands. Expect a quick turnaround.

This illustrates a bigger shift in that China is cementing itself as the number one moviegoing market in the world. Things were trending that way pre-pandemic, but it seems to be firmed up now. This will have implications for Hollywood as studios will become even more dependent on Chinese box office dollars for blockbusters to become successful. However, China is letting fewer foreign movies play, leaving the fate of many films hanging in the balance. “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and “Black Widow” did not get released in China, for example.

This will be something to keep an eye on in 2022 when the box office looks to recover with a robust slate of in-demand movies rolling out all year long.